Country Hides and Skins. 
33 
Tho methods recommended to butchers for salting cattle and calf- 
skins are as follows: 
Salting is best carried out in a dry, cool room, or preferably in a 
cellar of even temperature and free from drafts. If many hides are 
to be stored the cellar should have a concrete floor and good drainage. 
Before salting clean the hide thoroughly, removing the dirt, dung, 
and blood from both the hair and flesh sides, particularly the latter. 
A clean hide or skin is not so liable to spoil in spots while curing, 
and will sell well, as it presents a clean, bright appearance. Hides 
and skins are more easily freed from dung and dirt before the 
nnimals are felled, and during flaying care should be taken to keep 
Fig. 37. — " Skinning out " the legs of a sheep. 
the hides and skins from coming in contact with the blood from 
slaughtering. Blood spots especially damage and discolor the hide. 
"Water should be used sparingly in cleaning the hides, and for the 
flesh side a clean, moistened cloth will suffice. Trim the hide nicely, 
removing all stringy pieces; cut off the dewclaws if any; split the 
ears with two cuts, and scrape away any flesh or meat, although the 
latter should not be present on a properly flayed hide or skin. 
In allowing the animal heat to escape from the hides and skins 
it is permissible, if the weather is very cool, to let them lie overnight 
spread out singly with flesh side up. During warm weather, how- 
ever, they should first be sprinkled lightly with fine salt. The ques- 
tions of temperature and the right time to start salting are very 
